ADVENTURE MAG – July 2019

ADVENTURE MAG EDITION 1 - OE EDITION 56 31

ANGIE SCARTH-JOHNSON

Mostly a self-taught climber, with
a few mentors along the way,
she began writing her training
programs and training herself so
she could achieve her insanely high
goals. Late in 2018, the 14-year-
old returned from competing
in the International Federation
of Sport Climbing Youth World
Championships in Moscow. She
placed well in the semi-finals in lead
climbing and revealed she is eligible
to compete in the Olympics by
turning 16 in time for the qualifying
event for Tokyo 2020 games.

Angie’s debut film, Pacific Lines
toured with the Women’s Adventure
Film Tour earlier this year, and we
caught up with this remarkable
teenager to find out more.

Angie began climbing earlier than
most, but she says that nothing,
in particular, drew her to it. “It’s

just what I did; I climbed almost

anything in or outside the house.”

Just like any other little kids might

enjoy drawing or to play with

dolls, climbing gave her a similar

enjoyment. The more she climbed,

the more she loved it. “I saw a

challenge in something like a door,

an entrance, or the bricks on the

face of my house. There were no

two doorways the same in my

mind; all I needed was a different

technique, and my imagination to

climb it and make it interesting. The

first time I visited a climbing gym,

it blew my mind! Climbing door

frames was no longer required! A

fire was lit within me; it was love at

first sight!”

Angie started climbing at her local

climbing gym in Canberra. But

the foundation of what she knows

today was learned from climbing

outdoors. “In my first few weeks

at my local, I met some older guys

who brought me into their world of

climbing; I started going to Nowra

with my new 30-year-old friends

and dad every weekend,” she says.

“They showed me the ropes; I

learned something new every

time. It soon became a ‘must do,’

a routine of climbing outdoors on

the weekend, train indoors during

weekdays to be able to send those

projects. Most kids when they start

to climb outdoors will top rope, this

was not an option for me, due to

restraints from having non-climbing

parents. So, I had to pick up things

quickly and conquer any fears of

falling. I enjoyed outdoor climbing

more than anything else because of

the additional challenges I faced.”

Angie believes that she is very lucky

to live in The Blue Mountains, which

When most kids are seven, they are learning about life, learning to read and write, ride
a bike, and maybe doing some fun stuff with friends. At seven years old, however, Angie
Scarth-Johnson started rock climbing. At just nine years old she became the youngest
person ever to complete a grade 31 climb at ‘Swingline’ at Red River Gorge, in the USA.
A remarkable feat for any amateur climber. Angie will star in the upcoming WOMEN’S
ADVENTURE FILM TOUR with the film PACIFIC LINES, in cinemas from 29 August 2019.

A FIRE LIT WITHIN

AngIE SCARTH-JOHNSON